AN: I'm sorry this chapter is so long.
It will speak for itself, I promise.

Enjoy.

As moonlight dominated once more, the sounds of the wind and the crickets filled the air.

It was not eerie, but calm.

It was perfect.

Several hours ago, everyone had gone home. It didn't take long for Ross to convince everyone that he needed to do this by himself, armed only with love. While Chandler, Joey, and Phoebe found it funny, Monica thought that it was the most beautiful thing she had ever heard in her life. It was as if Ross was a completely different person now; he had changed for the better. He seemed so much stronger than ever before, and because of everything that had happened, he had grown.

While she could feel the bond that Ross and Rachel shared from being with Chandler, they were still light years away from even coming close to their level. Monica knew that the connection they shared could not be replicated; it could only be as similar as it was different.

As a man builds a house, and he builds another one next to it, using the exact same tools, materials, and blueprints, they will not be the same. Something will always be different; unique. Such is the nature of love. The love that is shared between two people is as unique as the people themselves. As many snowflakes may fall, they are a far cry away from each other.

As every feather falls from grace, the earth knows that they are special.

Monica had always wondered if she'd ever find someone to complete her, as Rachel did for Ross. Richard came and went, like a tumbleweed on a warm summer's day. Everyone else was barely in the record. Because of this, Monica had been so jealous, so resentful, toward her best friend and her brother, it made her nauseous. Here were two people, that cared more for her than anyone else, and, in the back of her mind, she wanted them to break up, just so they'd be as miserable as her?

Who knows what else she would've done if Chandler hadn't found her in the park that day.

With a fulfilled dream, and a happy heart, Monica took her hand away from her stitched arm, and pushed the past to where it belonged: The past. The only thing she kept her mind focused on was that she was going to have a sister-in-law, and that someday, she could love Chandler the way Ross loved Rachel. That, in of itself, would be a privilege of the highest order.

So, as they walked out of the room, one last glance through the clear, glass walls told the four of them the ample truth. It was so apparent, so obvious, that a bat could see it; they were ready. Ross and Rachel were ready to embark on a lifelong journey of love and laughter, of peace and joy.

All they had to do was take the first step.

Now, they laid in bed, facing each other. Their eyes locked with a passion unrivaled, and the smile that was drawn across their lips proved to be an adequate outlet for the warmth emanating from their hearts. A simple stroke of the arm brought chills up and down their spines, sparking at the very tip of their toes. Their breathing was heavy, although Ross's seemed to be much more taxing than Rachel's, with good reason.

When he pulled her closer, Rachel eagerly sunk into his embrace. His skin was but a cold shell that slowly melted with each passing second, and she felt this without regret. It was a beautiful thing, really, to see Ross be so romantic in his own little geeky way. Of course, she adored that side of him; but that was just icing on a fiery red velvet cake. His heart; his strong, caring heart was what took her. His fierce loyalty and kind nature toward everyone he held dear was unbelievable. Even to those that had wronged him, Ross was partial to. He would protect everyone with his life, not just her; this was what Rachel admired the most.

"I love you."

His voice was nothing more than a coarse hum; it sounded as if he was shivering, or in pain. Rachel grasped him tighter in response, which seemed to calm him, if even a little. In truth, she was not so steady either, as she could not find the words to return to him; instead, she pulled her head back, and looked into his chocolate-brown eyes.

This was her medicine. This was her drug.

This was her reason to live.

So, in a flash, Rachel crushed her lips against Ross's. She couldn't speak, therefore she was unable to tell Ross she loved him back; instead, she showed him, in a way that would allow him to understand fully. It caught him off-guard, at first, but within a second he fell into her.

There were never any complaints.

Rachel was perfect, in every regard. What many would see as mere infatuation was quite different to Ross. Her minor flaws were easily outclassed by everything else. She had spirit, and she had strength. She was caring, and she was loyal; everything that he was, and so much more. Of course he didn't deserve her; but that didn't stop Ross from trying his hardest. His stubborn nature would pay-off, one way or another, and, one day, he would be good enough for Rachel, even if it took him the rest of his life.

She was everything to him.

Ross knew it in his heart: Rachel was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. There was no question about it. He wanted to love her, cherish her, and worship her in the way a queen; no, a goddess, needed to be. He had known all of this for so long; now, Rachel needed to know.

There were no more doubts; no more fear.

As they pulled from each other's waiting lips, Ross stared into the eyes of his angel; the one who'd been there for him, time and time again. The one who held his hand as he explored the depths of his own, ever-expanding mind. The one who guided him through the throes of darkness.

The one who gave him hope, when all seemed lost.

So, with a deep breath, Ross whispered to her again.

"I love you. So much."

Rachel felt his chest heave as he spoke; he was shivering, again. In response, she placed her hand on his cold cheek, and stroked it lovingly. Her cool and polished nails rubbed his skin, and he calmed down once more. He had never seen her smile so big before; it was a miracle, a once-in-a-lifetime sight that he was lucky enough to witness every day.

"I love you too, Ross." Her voice was, like always, honey. It was as if he had stepped into a warm waterfall, and bathed for a century. All of that was consolidated into a few seconds, and immediately, he melted. To hear those words, the words he could never become accustomed to hearing, made him choke up.

Rachel Green is in love with me.

It must be a dream, to wake up every day to her voice; to her heart.

His hand took hers, and he brought it to his lips and kissed it once more. Her eyes began to sparkle in the dim moonlight, peering through the window above the bed. Little did he know, his did the exact same, which she took joyful notice too.

In but a second, her entire being was shaken to the moment; his hand squeezed hers firmly, but still tenderly. His eyes focused on hers, and, for a second, Ross gave off the illusion that something bad was going to happen. He cleared swallowed whatever he kept in his throat, and spoke with a firm and serious tone.

"You are everything to me."

Rachel was speechless. She couldn't believe what she had just heard; actually, she just couldn't believe that Ross said it in such a way. It almost broke the night air. He meant it, obviously, as his geeky grin instantly re-appeared, and he even chuckled a bit.

She blinked rapidly in return, still a bit shocked from his demeanor. However, after hearing his childish laugh, she shook her head in relief and smiled even wider than before.

"Don't scare me like that."

"Heh. Sorry. It's true, though." Ross scrunched his face, knowing that Rachel had been caught off-guard. He knew that if he was going to pull this off, he needed some light-hearted humor to ease in with, as there were many more surprises to come.

"You're my everything, too." Rachel rubbed his cheek with her fingers, her voice just as soft as her skin. She seemed so frail, now. Ross found it particularly amazing, how she could shift her nature like this, from a tough and independent woman to a lonely, lovesick teenager. But, no matter what, she was always strong.

"Really?"

"Really."

Both of them smiled, having just felt the warmth of their love ooze from bodies and into the whirlpool of emotion between them. As every second passed by, their doubts about marriage faded, and it wasn't so scary anymore. In fact, it felt right. Now, it was just a matter of how, and when. Ross, again, took the first step; in his ambrosia-laced words laid the weave of his love for Rachel.

"I love you, more than life itself."

His voice was soft, and it cracked all the way through. While Ross could not have been more embarrassed, Rachel thought it was the sweetest thing ever. Almost instantly, her eyes began to water, and she placed her hand upon Ross's chest. Quietly, she cried out to him.

"Ross..."

All he needed to hear was her fragmented voice; in a second flat, he pulled her closer to him, so that her head sat just below his neck. He could hear her sob, and held her tightly. His own tears began to well up, but he quickly swallowed his overflowing joy, as to keep composure. To keep his mind away from himself, Ross sang into her ear.

"You are just so beautiful, Rach. I don't deserve you."

Rachel's cries stopped when she heard this; she pulled away from him, and looked into his eyes. She could see into his very soul, which was rich with the ore that fed love to his heart. She could see the deep trench that was only filled by her, and her alone. It made her choke up, just thinking of how much she truly completed him. Ross was lost, without her. While others would have fled at his dependency, Rachel was more than happy to spend every waking moment with him.

So, she did. For several minutes, they stared at each other, soaking in the passion that flowed out of them. It was a moment to be remembered, forever, along with every other cherished memory they shared where they would simply look into each other's eyes and feel a thousand year's worth of love; it ended as Ross quivered his lips and muttered something he didn't want to.

"I-I'm sorry."

It came out quickly and painfully, and not even Ross was quite sure as to why he said it. However, retribution seemed necessary, so, he twisted his words, and his mind, to focus on what so desperately needed to talked about.

"For what?"

"For... what I... did." Ross's dictum staccato'd through the air between them, and the electricity that flowed through them was ready to strike lightning into their hearts. While Ross felt like things had turned sour, Rachel had a very different outlook; she placed her finger over his mouth, hushing whatever else he may have had to say.

"No. Don't."

Ross promptly closed his mouth, and watched as Rachel smiled; it was the same smile that broke his heart, many, many times as he watched her give it to Chip, to Barry, to Paolo, and to so many other men. Now, however, she was giving it to him, and he was happier than ever; little did he know, more merriment was coming, and Rachel would be the sole provider. Her joy had found its way into her voice, and, softly, she murmured into his heart.

"I forgive you."

It came as quite a shock to Ross; he had expected her to never even consider forgiving him, and yet, she did, in such a fast heartbeat. It was strange, and only confused him instead of having its original intent of making him happy, something Rachel would be hard-pressed to do now.

"But.. why?"

"I... I love you, Ross. And I know you love me. I know you're sorry and you want to take it back." It was true; she knew Ross was sorry, and that he would do anything to go back in time and correct his mistake. No matter how much it still hurt her to think about it, she knew that there were so many more important things to worry about, and that it was time to move on. She loved Ross too much to dwell on the past, when it was time to focus on their future.

"That's... it? Rach, I- I cheated on you!"

Ross raised his voice in shock, wondering why she reacted as if nothing happened. He had committed the worst atrocity known to a relationship, and Rachel didn't seem phased at all. In fact, she smiled again, this time with the warm sentiment that usually made all of his troubles go away; this time, it failed. She continued to stroke her boyfriend's cheek, however, and spoke as lightly as possible, shaking her head.

"I don't care."

"...What?" He was dumbfounded. This was not at all what he was expecting, and yet, he stubbornly chose to pursue it instead of dropping it, like most people would have. The desire to have answers outweighed anything else.

"I don't care, Ross. It doesn't matter anymore." Rachel raised her voice in response, hoping to get her point across. She didn't expect him to react this way; she expected him to be happy, and relieved. However, Rachel soon realized that while she had forgiven him, he still didn't forgive himself.

"H-How can you just say that?"

Rachel sighed, and changed her demeanor entirely. She had to let loose all of her feelings that had built up since that day, again. It would be painful, that much was sure. But if she didn't do this, they would never be able to move forward.

"Ross, do you know what I felt when I first saw you that night in the hospital?"

He stared at her, speechless. Ross didn't even think about how Rachel felt, having been swamped in his own self-loathing. He had expected her to still be angry with him, or even glad that he was hurt that night. After all, Ross firmly believed he deserved it, whys shouldn't she? So, he waited for her answer, eyes fixated on hers. It seemed as though she was going to cry again, but instead, Rachel shut her eyes, and began yelling.

"I was scared, Ross! I was scared that I was going to lose the most important person in my life... forever!"

The manifesto surged through him, and his heart nearly stopped. Ross couldn't believe what he was hearing. That was what she thought? That was the first thing on her mind? Even after their breakup, he was still the most important person to her? It was unreal. It had gotten to the core of his very mind, and, seconds later, he refused to believe it. His eyes gave it away, as they darted from side to side, wishing that Rachel would open hers. Instead, she buried her head into his arms again, and sobbed for a long, despairing minute before speaking again.

"I... I couldn't - even - begin to imagine my - life, without you." She spoke more into his chest than anything else. It was like screaming into a pillow; she held a shred of hope that he could hear past her short gasps of sorrow.

Luckily, he did, and without further hesitation, wrapped his arms around cold and decrepit form. Ross wanted her to stop, he really did, but did not know how anymore. He loved Rachel, and would do all he can to help, but it seemed like there was nothing he could do besides hold her. He did, however, do her favorite thing; stroke her hair. This went on for several minutes, until her whimpers turned into mere sniffling.

"That's- That's why I forgive you. That's why I don't care. Your life is way more important than a stupid little mistake. I- I can't lose you, Ross! I can't."

Rachel winced halfway through her statement, and it was clear that the pain she felt was almost as bad as the pain he felt for putting her in such a position. It was hard for anyone to expose themselves in a way that she did, and, while Ross felt guilty, he was also proud of Rachel for doing what most would never do; not just now, but for the preceding weeks as well.

"You're.. You're not gonna lose me, Rach."

She shook her head, wishing - hoping - that what he said was true. It became obvious, to both of them, that they couldn't go on long without the other. Ross didn't want to be away from her just as much as she didn't want him to be. They were attached, and it felt wonderful. Rachel knew this, but still decided to push the envelope. Ross had started it, and now she would finish it. Despite her sniffling, Rachel kept her stance.

"I- It's my fault."

Ross needed to hear that again; as he ran it through his mind, it was as clear as a whistle.

"What? No! Don't say that!" Ross yelled at her, hoping to break her down and stop all of this right now. His plan of proposal was halted, and it was all to stop Rachel from crying again and placing the blame on her, even when she had done nothing wrong. Why would she blame herself? This was all because of what he did; he chose to bring a picnic basket to her work. He chose to drink that night and chose have sex with Chloe. He chose to leave at that exact time during the night of the accident instead of fighting for just a little bit longer. There was no reason for any of this; why would she create one?

"No! I-I'm the one that started that-that break. I-I-I told you to leave!" Within seconds, Rachel began crying again. Instead of pulling her in, Ross gripped her shoulders and looked at her squarely, in an attempt to solve this with reason; something that was near impossible at this point.

"No. Stop it, Rachel. It doesn't matter anymore, remember? Remember?" Ross managed to shed a tear at her expense. He wanted to do something - anything - just to get Rachel to stop crying. He wanted to kiss her, and hold her tightly; but for some reason, he couldn't.

"I... I hate myself for it, Ross."

Ross shattered. The worst possible thing that could come out of Rachel's mouth, and heart, floated to the surface. He so desperately wanted to grab her, and pull her into his body. He didn't know who felt worse; him for hearing her say that she hated herself, or for her to actually say it, and mean it. Ross was ready to give up, again, and it was evident in the cracking of his voice.

"Don't. Please, Rachel, don't."

"I just wanna... forget..." Rachel's face was the soil, bedded with rivers of tears. She hated the fact that she put herself in this position, and that she was making Ross feel the exact same way. She wanted to stop, but the built up emotions that she hid behind her aura of strength was pouring out of her heart, towards the man she wanted to spend forever with. Perhaps, in the dark depths of her mind, she believed it was her turn to fall, and be picked up by someone else for a change.

"So let's do that. Let's just forget all of this, for now."

Ross regained his composure, if only to say that; he wanted to take her on a journey, like she had done so many times for him. He wanted to take her everywhere, if only in their own imaginations, and escape the turmoil that followed them. Only in their own hearts were they able to do this, and do it well.

"Rach?"

Ross took her hands in his, and leaned into her. He showered her in kisses, from her forehead to her chin. Her tears still stained her skin, but Ross dried them with his love. He never wanted to let go. So, for what seemed like hours, they laid there together, in silence, as Rachel's crying began to subside. Finally, as he felt her breathing return to normal, Ross whispered into her ear, a year of mirth and piety behind him.

"I will never hurt you again."

After hearing this declaration, Rachel pulled her head back, and looked into Ross's waiting eyes. He looked so lost; so broken. It was as if Rachel was looking into a mirror; one that did everything it could to help her, all at its expense. She knew that she had to fix this, and fix it now. Without saying anything, she smiled, and stretched the muscles of her face that had been worn to almost nothing.

In an instant, Ross had found salvation. As he watched her smile draw across her angelic face, her eyes glistened in the moonlight. Ross had never seen anything so beautiful. Immediately, he smiled back, and felt at home again. He could drown in the happiness that flooded him. It was surreal, and he was almost sure that it was a dream; if it was, he would never, ever, want to wake up. He could live off of her smile alone.

As another minute passed them by, he pushed Rachel's hair away from her face before it could fog her beauty. Wanting to finish what he had started, Ross swallowed his fear and spoke, his heart clear and true.

"Do you remember how we talked about going away together?"

Rachel's eyes widened at the question. It was their nine-month anniversary, and Ross had brought up going on a trip together, just the two of them; however, before Rachel could answer faithfully, he was called to the museum on an emergency. When he came back only twenty minutes later, they had completely forgotten about it, even though both were willing to speak of it again.

"We, uh, never settled on a location."

Rachel puckered her lips in indecision, unable to think clearly after such an emotional outburst. Instead, she simply waited for Ross to speak, and signified this by simply shrugging.

"I was thinking... Italy. Or uh, France." He had always known that Rachel had a soft spot for both countries; however, he didn't know if she had a preference or even favored one over the other. Either way, he was more than willing to take her wherever she wanted to go, and even around the world.

"France?" Her hopeful smile gave away that France was her number one choice, and apparently with good reason.

"Yeah. We could go to Brittany, or uh, Strasbourg." There was no reason Ross named Brittany, but Strasbourg happened to be his favorite. It was situated across the Rhine River, and was a melding of both French and German culture; a haven of food.

"What about Paris?" Rachel's soft and saccharine voice made her sound like an innocent child; now, especially, having just recovered from such a tense moment.

"Well, I thought Paris was a given."

He knew that Rachel had fantasized about going to Paris; she often talked about going there someday with Monica when they would hear it mentioned on the Discovery Channel while Ross was watching. When they first started dating, Ross knew that if he took her there, they would go to Paris, first thing. It would be foolish to take her to France and not at least check out the City of Lights.

"I love you." Rachel smiled at his sentiment and spoke the three words Ross had missed for an eternity. It was absolutely breathtaking to hear 'I love you' from the girl of his dreams. It was better than hearing it from Carol, that much was for sure.

"I love you too."

As he said that, without warning, Ross planted his lips on hers. It had been a full twenty minutes since he had kissed an angel; it was worse than going three days without water. Now, however, he was replenished with the love he needed to thrive. It was not a long kiss, but it was much more special than most others they shared, and that meant something. When they pulled apart, Rachel, once again, had a loving grin on her face, and they were happy.

The kiss quickly reminded Ross of a very, very significant moment in his life; he wanted Rachel to know just how significant.

"Rach."

"Hmm?" Her voice was weary; she was ready to fall asleep, although her widened eyes told a different story.

"Do you remember our uh, first kiss?" He rolled his head to one side, biting his lip, praying to God that she remembered. While it was hard to read her expression after he said that, Ross noticed how her brow furrowed like she was trying to remember something else.

"At the laundromat?"

"N- Huh. I totally forgot that one. What was that about, anyway?" Ross had forgotten how she'd kissed him after chasing away the mean woman at the laundromat. However, he did hit his head right after, so it was more or less justified. The first time he had tasted her gorgeous, ruby red lipstick, and he couldn't remember. Ross would have kicked himself, if his legs worked properly.

"It was a 'thank you' more than anything, I suppose. Y'know, like 'thanks for washing my car'." Immediately, she kissed him again, this time only lasting a brief second; Ross managed to savor it as if it had lasted ten minutes.

"Oh. Well, I, uh, meant the one at Central Perk."

"As if I'd ever forget." Rachel chuckled; it was the greatest she ever had, and little did Ross know that was one of the greatest moments of her life as well.

Her laugh managed to motivate Ross for what he was about to say; the only problem was, he didn't know what he was going to say. He wanted to just release everything, in one strong wave, much like Rachel had done only minutes earlier, but this time, there would be no despair. No tears of sorrow. Only love. Ross was ready to commit to Rachel forever, and he wanted more than anything to make it perfect. Rachel deserved perfection.

With that, Ross swallowed whatever fear, dignity, and logic he had left, hopefully for the last time. He wanted to yell his love for her to the heavens, from his very soul. So, he took her delicate hands in his once more, and spoke, his heart purer than it had ever been in his entire life.

"I... I could live forever, Rachel. I could sail around the world. I could climb Mount Everest, and taste every wine known to man. I could... go to the moon, and cure cancer."

He avoided her dumbfounded gaze; he couldn't afford to be distracted.

"But nothing, nothing, will ever compare to when I kissed you that night." Ross shook her limp hands as he enunciated the word 'nothing'.

"It was... It was at that moment that I knew that I had found my everything. When I knew that I would love you forever."

Ross opened his eyes, and it was as if he had just been born. The ray of light that caught his approach was none other than Rachel herself. He didn't even realize what he had truly said; it eluded him in such a way that he had been lost in his own glorified and holy world: A shrine to Rachel.

She was none other than the happiest woman in the world. To hear something so beautiful and from so deep inside the heart made her clamp her mouth to keep the tears from gushing out. Instead, a scream of rapture made it's way past the waterfall that fell over her hand, and Rachel knew that everything she could have ever wanted was right in front of her.

"Ross...!" Her arms latched around his neck, and instantly, she fell into him again, sobbing harder than ever before. It was the greatest thing she had ever heard. How could she not cry her eyes out? No one else in the entire universe meant more to her than Ross. She was already in paradise. She had found, in only twenty-seven years, what most people spend lifetimes searching for.

"I... I love you." He petted the back of her head, surprised at the impact his penchant had on her. Ross didn't question anything more; he simply held the woman of his dreams in his arms, as she cried tears of the greatest joy.

"I would... I'd give you the world, if I could."

His whispers shook her to the very center of her body. Rachel wished that she could just be with Ross, forever and ever. She wanted him to propose, right then and there. Why didn't he? It was the perfect timing, and she would have said yes in the blink of an eye. However, he didn't, as to let her subside.

The words rang in her head, over and over again.

Each time felt like the first, and she managed to feel the same way without rivers of tears adding to the puddle on the sheets.

"T-That's too much. Couldn't I j-just have you, instead?" Rachel's sniffling made her voice crack, and it seemed as though she was going to weep more than when she did earlier. Now, she was the one questioning whether it was all real or not.

"Well, you kind of already do."

Rachel pulled her head away just long enough for her to utter her thoughts.

"Then I don't want anything else."

Again, she buried herself into his chest, her heartbeat syncing with his. The moon was now out of sight, and now only the night sky wandered above, dotted with dozens of stars that held the power to create life. It was unbelievable, really, to actually see how small they were compared to the rest of the universe.

Their love, however, was infinite.

When Ross began to doze off, he was quickly awakened by the tracing of circles on his wrist by his lover. He might have fallen asleep - Ross wasn't sure. After all, it was dark, and Rachel wasn't making a peep; she had stopped crying for a while now.

"Rach." It was his morning voice; except it wasn't morning. Rachel looked up toward him, noticing his eyes, which were still closed. After she gently tapped his eyelid, they fluttered open, and he saw her bright face again.

He didn't know why he called her name; he could have easily fallen back to sleep, and just continued on wooing her that morning. He could have proposed in a much more gallant way that he was going to. Yet, something, somewhere, told Ross that he had to finish this now, or he would regret it. It didn't hit him that this entity was himself, hell-bent on finishing this, once and for all.

For Rachel. He wanted her now, as his fianceé. If he waited any longer, he would regret it for the rest of his life. He had to do this, and he had to do it before the sun rose.

So, he took the final step.

"I, uh, I said that something was supposed to happen on our anniversary." It was time to talk about this. There was obviously never going to be a better opportunity to speak of his failed marriage proposal than on his next.

"Oh, yeah... What was it?"

"Well, erm, I... I was going... I was going to propose to you, that night." Ross shut his eyes after revealing his secret, hoping that her answer would not be as bad as the millions that had forced themselves into his head. If she didn't suspect something before, she did now.

"What? You were?" Rachel was again, flabbergasted. She had never expected this to happen. When he had mentioned this before, she had expected him to be talking about just having that romantic dinner or something along those lines. But, a proposal? It had never crossed her tracks.

"Yeah- but then we had that stupid fight, and I just... Well, you know the rest." Ross tried his best not to remember that day, but unfortunately, his head made a great movie theater with only one seat.

"Oh m- Oh my god, Ross..."

Rachel couldn't believe her ears. If none of that had ever happened, she would Ross's fianceé at this very minute, and they would be in Monica's apartment instead of the hospital. They would be cuddling, in Rachel's bed, ring emblazoned on her finger. The very thought made her swim in a bittersweet lake of regret.

"I-I can't believe this."

"I love you, Rachel." Ross smiled at his beloved, and, while she stared out of the bedside window in awe, she managed to pull out her own shocked smile. She placed herself in a wedding gown, imagining what it would be like to be Dr. and Mrs. Ross Geller.

Little did she know, Rachel would only imagine for a little while longer.

"That's why, I'm asking you now."

The utterance had come out a lot smoother than Ross expected; they weren't flashy, or cheesy-sounding either. It sounded like a very subtle challenge, and even Rachel picked up on this. She didn't seem to figure anything out, however, as her tone gave her away.

"W-What?"

Ross sighed; it was time to end this, and end it in a way that would burn in his mind forever, as he proposed to the girl of his dreams. So, as he leered into her soul, Ross spoke from his heart again, nearly draining it.

"You are the world to me. You loved me in a way that no one else did, not even Carol. You stood by me for two-and-a-half years, as my friend, and my girlfriend."

"Ross-" She was cut off.

"You saved my life."

He didn't want to tell her, but it slipped out. Some things Ross wanted to keep inside, even to Rachel. How she saved his life was one of them. Whether it was because of his paranoia or the fact that she wouldn't understand without him explaining it, thus ruining the moment, was unknown. However, since he decided to reveal any withheld secrets that had been spoken of, Ross took it all the way.

Rachel was waiting for an explanation, anyway.

"I almost gave up. In the hospital, that night, I was ready to die. I wanted to die."

"W-Why would you say that?" So many things had been said to her that night; all of them good. Until now, that is. Ross struck a nerve so deep inside of her that she wanted to punch him as hard as she could.

"Isn't it obvious?"

Rachel blinked rapidly, before furiously shaking her head 'no'. It annoyed Ross that she couldn't see it; that she couldn't see the very love he had placed in front of her only a little while ago. But instead of raising his voice like he would've done, he instead explained to her in the simplest way possible.

"I.. I'd lost you."

Her expression of utter confusion slowly transformed into that of sadness. Her ears had deceived her once again. What was happening here? One minute, she's the happiest woman in the world, with the greatest boyfriend in the world, and all of a sudden he's telling her how he wanted to die because she'd dumped him. It was terrible, until Ross spoke again.

"Our break-up played in my head, over and over. Each time, it hurt more. I was just waiting for someone to end it for me. I wanted the pain to stop, Rachel." It was all true. In the sea of dreams and visions that had occurred that night, Ross was simply waiting for the plug to be pulled. After all, he'd lost Rachel; therefore, he'd lost everything.

"But then, I started thinking about you."

"Me?" Again, the solemn voice of a child yearning for her mother's embrace came from her lips. She knew exactly how to break Ross, and was pulling out all the stops to do it.

"Yeah. W-What it'd be like to never see you again." The testimony came and went like a brisk wind. A calm soon followed, and both of them felt the impact of the statement . To think, never being able to see Rachel again broke Ross's heart, yet here she was, right in front of his eyes. After a tense moment, Ross broke the silence.

"It was horrifying."

Rachel wanted to say something, she desperately wanted to. However, there were no way to describe these feelings. They were a whole new ballgame than what she was used to; nothing was ever concrete anymore, until Ross said it, and it matched the description perfectly.

"I was just on the brink, and, you... you saved me. I never, ever, want to know what life is without you, Rach. I didn't even care if you hated me for what I did; I would rather live in a world where you despise me than live in one without you at all." It was like he was a completely different person, as he spoke. He wasn't awkward. He didn't mess up. He didn't change his mind at the last second. He wasn't Ross anymore. He was a man who had found himself.

"Ross..." Rachel was speechless after hearing that. It was a true testament to how much he loved her, and she couldn't even say 'thank you'. Why couldn't she show herself to him the way he did to her? Why couldn't she open her heart and tell him that he is the reason she still wakes up?

"You're... everything." Again, he showered her with the greatest of gifts. This time, however, Rachel found that it was hard to resist. How can two simple words mean so much? How can a kiss, or a hug, or a night of sex change so much? These questions that cannot be answered by normal people; and yet, Ross seemed to have them all right in the palm of his hand. Once she saw this, Rachel cried harder than ever before.

"I love you so much, R-Ross."

For the last time, they sunk into each other's arms. Ross didn't speak, anymore. He had to save his strength. He just held her, like he had done so many times. However, this time would be the last time it was so hard, so complex to let go. After this, he knew that the arms of his angel would always be open. After this, he could finally rest, having secured everything he needed for a long and happy life.

Rachel felt his Adam's apple caress her cheek.

She felt his trembling voice speak that which had created and destroyed; the Alpha, and the Omega. An arrow of light pierced the very fabric of her heart, and she knew the words to be true, and the love behind them to be as real as the stars in the sky.

"Will... Will you marry me?"

There was silence; Rachel pulled away from him, for the very last time. In his eyes sat the fire that had been sucked away that night. This time, Ross would fight even harder than ever before. This time, she would not make him leave. This will be a fight that she will lose, gracefully.

As true love is placing another's happiness above your own, no matter how hard the choices; Ross had been doing this for fourteen years.

So, without another word nor whisper, Rachel smiled through the fog of tears one last time, and Ross had his answer.